Concentrating apparatus and method



April 11, 1950 J. LEBOEUF CONCENTRATING APPARATUS AND METHOD Filed May6, 1948 Patented Apr. 11, 1950 OFFlCE CONCENTBATING APPARATUS-AND IMETIIOD Jos p bn Jonq Que ec, Canada 1 Application May 6, 1948, SerialNo. 25,436

3 Claims.

The present invention pertains to a novel apparatus for and method ofconcentrating liquor such as maple sap, for example.

Ordinarily such a liquor is concentrated by a series of evaporations.These are expensive, time-consuming and difiicult to perform. Theprincipal object of the invention is to provide an apparatus and methodto simplify this operation.

I have found that water can be frozen out of the liquor, leaving aconcentrated syrup. The apparatus of the invention includes a drum forreceiving the liquor and means for advancing the contents to a separatorwhile being refrigerated. The separator receives the ice that was formedin the drum, as well as the remaining concentrate. The separator is inthe form of a rotating reticulated drum through which the concentrateflows to a suitable outlet, and means is provided for passing the ice toa discharge chute.

Another object of the invention is to provide a relatively simple,inexpensive and durable apparatus of the character set forth. Therefrigerating drum is surrounded by a refrigerating coil, and thecompressor of the apparatus is driven by a motor which also drivesboth'dr ums and a feed screw in the refrigerating drum.

The invention is fully disclosed by way of example in the followingdescription and in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the device;

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3--3 of Figure 1.

Reference to these views will now be made by use of like characterswhich are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout.

In Figure 1 is shown a housing I having a vertical partition 2 and ahorizontal partition 3. On the inner surface of one of the verticalwalls is mounted a circular bracket 4 receiving one end of a cylindricaldrum 5. The other end of the drum is reduced at B and supported in thepartition 2.

In the chamber 1 formed between the partition 2 and the nearer end wallof the housing is mounted a cylindrical screen drum 8 having one end 9reduced and supported in a series of rollers I mounted on the partition2. The other end of the drum 8 is also reduced at I I and supported in asimilar set of rollers I2 on the opposite wall of the housing.

The drum is enclosed in a coil of refrigerating pipe I3 charged with asuitable refrigerant from a compressor I4 through piping I5 in thecustom- 2 ary manner. The compressor is driven from a motor I6 through abelt ll. Maple sap or other liquid to be concentrated is fed into thedrum 5 through an inlet l8 as shown in Figure 2. The drum 5 is alsofitted with a drain cock I9.

The motor l6 also drives a pair of connected pulleys 20, 2| throughbelts 22. The pulley 2| drives a vertical shaft 23 through bevel pinions24. A longitudinal shaft 25 beneath the partition 3 is driven from theshaft 23 by bevel pinions 26.

A feed screw 21 is mounted lengthwise in the drum 5 and has an axialshaft 31 driven from the shaft 25 through reduction gearing 28. Thereduced end 9 of the screen drum 8 carries a gear 29 meshing with apinion 30 on the shaft 25.

The drum 8 is enclosed in a fixed casing 3| having a funnel bottom 32with an outlet valve 33. A spout 34 leads from the end I I through theadjacent end wall of the housing I for a purpose that will presently bedescribed. In the same wall is fixed one end of an axial tube 35 havingits other end mounted on an extension 36 of the axial shaft 31 of thefeed screw 21. Oil cups 38 are provided for the bearing-s 39 of theseveral shafts.

In the operation of the device, the liquor in the drum 5 is chilled tothe freezing point of water. The concentrate or syrup, having a lowerfreezing point, remains fluid, while chunks of water ice are formed andmoved to the reticulated drum 8 by the screw 21. The concentrate issimilarly transferred and flows through the drum 8 into the hopper 32from which it is discharged through the valve 33. The ice in therotating drum 8 comes into contact with fingers 40 on the fixed tube 35whereby the ice is moved to and is discharged through the spout 34, bythe relative motion of thevdrum '8 and fingers 40.

The separation of the water by freezing has been found much moreeconomical than the usual evaporation process. The syrup may thereafterbe further concentrated by the usual methods for crystallization, orseparation of maple sugar in the case of maple sap.

Although a specific embodiment of the invention has been illustrated anddescribed, it will be understood that various alterations in the detailsof construction may be made without departing from the scope of theinvention as indicated by the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. A concentrator comprising an imperforate drum, a reticulated drumcommunicating therewith, means for refrigerating the contents of thefirst drum, means for feeding material from the first drum to the seconddrum, means for rotating the second drum, a spout leading from an end ofthe second drum, and a liquid receiver enclosing the second drum.

2. A concentrator comprising an imperforate drum, a reticulated drumcommunicating therewith, means for refrigerating the contents of thefirst drum, means for feeding material from the first drum to the seconddrum, means for rotating the second drum, fixed fingers in the seconddrum, a spout leadingfrom an end of the second drum, and a liquidreceiver enclosing the second drum.

3. A concentrator comprising an imperforat drum, a reticulated drumcommunicating therewith, means for refrigerating the contents of thefirst drum, 9, feed screw in thenrst drum, means Number for rotatingsaid screw, means for rotating the second drum, fixed fingers in thesecond drum, a spout leading from an end of the second drum, and aliquid receiver enclosing the second drum.

JOSEPH LE'BOEUF.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date 1,738,275 Baker Dec. 3, 1929 1,999,712Zorm Apr. 30, 1935 2,418,746 Bartlet Apr. 8, 1947

